


Danganronpa : Atavistic Retribution

by ohsardine



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 00:03:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20182921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohsardine/pseuds/ohsardine
Summary: Kinboshi University is the most illustrious and mysteriously secretive school in all of Japan, part of a long-running global chain designed to train gifted young people to become as efficient to society as they can be. Though she's no rocket scientist or famous sculptor, Sasaki Amako awoke one morning to find a formal invitation in the mail! Now she keeps her head high as she prepares herself to meet unique individuals and learn how she can truly make a difference in the world....If only things were that simple.





	Danganronpa : Atavistic Retribution

**Prologue **

_ Sasaki’s eyes fluttered open as a change in road surface shook the bus, pebbles clattering against the metal exterior like cicadas singing in the summer. The light that streamed through the window hit her eyes directly, making her scrunch up her face and squint. Where… Where was she again? Oh, right._

_ She sat up in her seat, catching a string of her own ginger hair in her mouth. It was a good thing that she was sitting alone, or else falling asleep like this would be quite the embarrassment. Shrinking into her chair, she hugged her knees to her chest and whistled a small tune to herself as her eyes drifted out the window._

**???: **Is that Sailor Moon?

_ Sasaki gave a small squeak as the unfamiliar voice piped up behind her, sending proper chills down her spine. She shot up and whirled around, peering over the back of her seat to see who was behind her._

_ A young lady wrapped in a fluffy fur coat and decorated in jewelry leaned forward and looked up to meet Sasaki’s curious gaze._

**???: **Not judging, ‘cause Sailor Moon is like, my favorite show ever!

_ Sasaki opened her mouth to respond, but the gleam of a gold medallion around the girl’s neck struck the words out of her. An excitement washed over her. That medallion, that hair, that face, that voice… Could it really be her?!_

**Sasaki:**Is that… 

**Sasaki: **Wait, are you GIGA.GYARU? _The _GIGA.GYARU?

_ The girl frowned and leaned back, dismissively sticking her nose up._

**GIGA: **Daaaamn, I really can’t go anywhere without people getting all goo-goo eyes at me!

**GIGA: **_Duh_, it’s me. Did you not get the memo like, six hours earlier?

_ Her words sent a shameful blush across Sasaki’s face, her body sinking along with her heart back behind the seat._

**Sasaki: **Oh… I’m sorry…

_ GIGA crossed her arms and smiled, her tone flipping completely from irritable to casually friendly._

**GIGA: **S’alright, kiddo_._ Hey, you were sleeping or something, right?

_ Sasaki bit her lip nervously. Of course, the someone that saw her sleeping on the bus had to be one of her most treasured role models._

**Sasaki: **Yeah, I couldn’t really sleep last night… I was pretty excited for today.

**GIGA:** For this? I _guess _it’s kinda cool. Would’ve preferred a place a little closer to the city, but…

_ Of course she would. Neither of them were entirely comfortable in the secluded location of Kinboshi University. Sasaki was a crossing guard; her duty was out there on the city streets. But perhaps this was an opportunity to let loose and take in the beauty of nature… After all, Kinboshi’s location was no strange accident. Absolute peace with nature was the goal of this establishment, right behind ensuring the world’s Ultimates would have a secure future. The students would not be burdened by the busy mess of city life. Crime, politics, disaster… All of it gone._

**GIGA: **Whatever. It’s change, but the music industry is all about change. We just gotta adapt and take advantage of it.

**Sasaki: **Erm, GIGA-senpai——

**GIGA: **Hang on, we’re gonna be classmates, right? So you can call me… GIGA-chan! No need to put me on a pedestal, dude.

_ A fuzzy warmth stretched across her chest and her face._

**Sasaki: **Oh— of course…!

**Sasaki: **GIGA-chan… What do you want to major in?

**GIGA: **Well, duh, I want to major in music theory and composition. If I’m gonna be here, might as well make some smart moves to solidify my career.

**GIGA: **Not that it was in danger anyways, of course. I’m always gonna be number one! This industry is wrapped around my little finger.

_ Sasaki let out a small giggle at that._

**GIGA: **How about you, pipsqueak?

**Sasaki: **Majors? Oh, gosh… I guess it sounds a little silly, but maybe I could study in nursing. After all, I _am _the pedestrian’s number one line of defense!

_ GIGA peeked up over her seat and looked the smaller girl up and down. Sasaki felt another stab of embarrassment, realizing that she was dressed in her work uniform still. She’d spent all night cleaning it, but she figured it still looked tacky…_

**GIGA: **Silly? The only thing wack about what you just said is the way you implied that nursing isn’t a kick-ass major! You’re gonna like, save lives and shit!

**GIGA: **That makes me wonder… What’s your Ultimate Talent anyways? I can tell you’re not really an Ultimate Doctor, or whatever.

_ Her talent! She perked up with a smile._

**Sasaki: **I’m the Ultimate Crossing Guard! Officer Sasaki Amako, patrolling the dangerous streets of urban Japan!

**GIGA: **Hey, I like that attitude! You go, girlfriend!

_ Sasaki felt her heart leap out of her chest and butterflies zoom around in her stomach. Out of all the people in the world, GIGA was one of the few that didn’t laugh at her talent! And she… called her…_

_ A small ringing interrupted her thoughts. GIGA clicked her tongue and reached into her pocket, pulling out an iPhone covered by a jewel-encrusted case. When she looked upon the screen, she rolled her eyes dramatically and sighed._

**GIGA: **Ugh, men.

**GIGA: **Sorry hon, I gotta take this call somewhere private.

**Sasaki: **Erm, no problem… It was a pleasure meeting you, GIGA-chan!

_ Without a reply, GIGA left for the back of the bus, leaving Sasaki to her own devices once again. Her devices, which only consisted of how hungry she was and how anxious she was to be here._

**???: **Did… Did GIGA just talk to you?

_ Sasaki jumped again, turning around to see… a rather alarming person._

_ He was like an absolute mountain of man, dressed in flashy leather clothing that probably covered about 30% of his body. Even weirder than that was his makeup, which made him look like someone straight out of that American band Kiss._

_ … Her parents always told her not to judge a book by its cover, though._

**Sasaki: **Er, yeah… We were just talking about school, though. She’s really nice!

**KISS guy: **And she talked to you? And she didn’t tell you to shut up or she’d shove her five-inch stilettos up your ass?!

_ This was already beginning to be a very unpleasant conversation. Sasaki’s eyes drifted out the window, trying to hint at her discomfort._

**Sasaki: **No… Did she say that to you?

**KISS guy: **Oh, all that and more! It was super fuckin’ awesome!

_ How is being told to shut up and threatened anywhere near “awesome?”_

**Sasaki: **Um… So, did you need something?

**KISS guy: **The only thing I need is to get the hell off of this bus! It’s fuckin’ claustrophobic in here!

_ It wasn’t the smallest bus in the world, but Sasaki supposed that it’d be pretty small to such a big guy. She swung her legs underneath the seat. Being under five feet tall had its perks, right…?_

_ He turned back to face the front and leaned forward, presumably to converse with another person. Sasaki let out a wide yawn, just hoping for this all to be over soon._

_ She shifted her attention to the left side of the bus, giving all the people sitting in the chairs a quick glance without them noticing. These people would all be her classmates. They looked normal enough… at least, for Ultimates. They were all dressed in unique outfits displaying their talents. One had a tiny chef’s hat, one wore a dobok..._

_ She looked down at herself. She supposed she didn’t quite look normal either, but the headmaster’s instructions _did _request everyone be in their work uniforms to show off their talent and be easy for staff to identify. With any luck, people won’t be staring at her, but rather the huge almost-naked guy. That may be a little rude of her to wish of, though._

_ The shuttle came to an abrupt halt that almost sent Sasaki falling from her seat. The old driver craned his head back to look at them for the first time in hours, voice hoarse and devoid of soul._

**Driver: **We’re here. Kinboshi University. Take all your belongings.

_ A few hushed murmurs rang around the group as the students stood up and grabbed their bags, suitcases, and any other miscellaneous items they carried. Sasaki felt the butterflies again as she waited for everyone else to depart. It seems a few other people had the same idea, sitting in their seats as the louder, more present crowd unboarded the bus. Sasaki felt that it was only fair to them that she depart before them to save them the anxiety._

_ As she stepped off the bus, the warm and crisp summer air felt like a welcome. The grass at her feet was delicately swaying with the gentle breeze, and the open golden gates between the towering walls that guarded the campus was grand and shining in the sunlight that peeked through the foliage of the trees. It was so peaceful, yet empowering._

_ Her thoughts were interrupted as a young man pushed past the rest of the crowd, stopping in front of the golden gates and staring up in awe. His fiery red hair moved like a flame in the wind._

**Red-haired man: **Kinboshi. The stairs to paradise. The place all of us worked so hard to reach, and succeeded despite impossible odds… Sure is captivating, isn’t it?

**Red-haired man:** …

_ He turned around._

**Red-haired man: **Well, what are we waiting for? You’re all as eager as I am, surely. Let’s enter.

_ The man didn’t wait for a response, stepping through the gate with only a small bag slung over his shoulder. Guess he was travelling light._

_ Sasaki quickly turned to thank the bus driver, then followed the other through the gate with the rest of the crowd. This guy was right— she was excited! Excited to meet new people, excited to find out new things about herself, and excited to find out what such a unique place would have in store for her!_

_ With no treetops to block the sky, the campus ground inside the walls were glistening with life. Flowers blooming across the great stretch of grass, insects buzzing and fluttering from plant to plant, a small pond filled with little frogs and koi. The serene calmness of the campus ground made Sasaki want to flop down into the grass and take a nap under the hot sun. That wouldn’t be advised though, as she might miss something important, so she followed the other students on the concrete pathway to one of four buildings._

_** Building A** is what it read on the entrance._

**Red-haired man: **So elaborate. As expected from only the best University in the world, hm?

_ He seemed to be the only one remotely interested in the building’s name, but the interior was what was most strange to Sasaki. It was a grand room with a simplistic and lovely design, though she couldn’t very well see it as the lights were completely off. The only light that came into the room was from the open door and the two windows that sat on either side, and that did hardly a thing to illuminate the area._

_ The red-haired man didn’t seem too concerned, but rather annoyed._

**Red-haired man: **Hm. Did they not get the memo that we’d be arriving here today?

**???: **Maybe the professors just aren’t here… After all, class doesn’t start until next week.

_ The girl who spoke had a brown vest and huge round glasses on. Her voice was quiet, but not exactly lacking in confidence._

**Glasses girl: **Even so, there should be someone here, right? I dunno… I’ve, uh, never been to a university like this one.

**Red-haired man: **Either way, this is a rather unwelcoming image. I didn’t expect such cold behaviour towards us Ultimates…

**Red-haired man:** Perhaps this could be another one of their “artistic choices!” Yes, that _must_ be so.

**Red-haired man: **In order to earn the headmaster’s respect, we must first navigate this place on our own accord! Don’t you all agree?

_ Silence spread through the room for a small moment._

**Glasses girl: **Maybe… Maybe you’re right…? I don’t think we have any other options unless… we just want to wait here forever.

**Red-haired man: **Then it’s settled! You, madam, are certainly intelligent enough to attend this place.

_ The girl went quiet, as if unable to formulate a response. That was an odd compliment, wasn’t it? Sasaki felt a bit amused with how this guy spoke._

_ GIGA eventually broke the silence, which Sasaki was nonetheless thankful for._

**GIGA: **Whatever, man, let’s just check this joint out. I’m gonna go find a snack machine, ‘cause I’m hungry as hell.

_ Sasaki put a hand to her stomach. She’d almost completely forgot about how hungry she was… until GIGA brought it up. Well, better late than never. As GIGA exited to the hallway on the left, Sasaki turned her attention to the hallway on the right. There must be plenty of snack machines around here, so she didn’t want to bother the celebrity too much over a snack. Everyone disappeared down hallways, and Sasaki was left on her own to explore the rightmost one._

_ It was an unnerving walk; after all, it was too dark to see much and every step she made echoed loudly down the hall. She tried many doors, though they would never open. Locked for safety purposes, perhaps…_

_ Eventually she found one that opened. It was a room labeled **Classroom E** , and the interior was just as dim as the place before it. The room was massive though, with rows of tables arranged in a way that faced the small overhead projector and podium at the front of the room. Definitely a college classroom._

_ She stepped over to the podium, placing her hand on the wood only to jerk it back as she felt the thick layer of dust that covered it from top to bottom._

**Sasaki: **Eeeegh! How long has it been since they’ve cleaned this thing?

_ She brushed off her hand on her jacket, puffing her cheeks out and turning away. Was everything here this dusty? Couldn’t be. Even when school wasn’t in session, there were supposed to be people cleaning, right?_

**???: **How curious. So, you’ve noticed it as well?

_ The sound of a sudden voice to her side made Sasaki scream in terror. It was just someone she recognized from the bus, but what was _with _people and scaring the heck out of her today?_

**???: **Oh— I apologize for frightening you. I didn’t see you go this way…

_ Sasaki cleared her throat and took a moment to settle her pounding heart, flashing a smile at the other._

**Sasaki: **No worries! I’m kinda jumpy today, so you’re not the first one!

**???: **That’s almost relieving… But I can still sense your unease.

_ Unease? Well, maybe she was a bit uneasy… After all, it’s not often you get sneak attacked by a tiny girl with long, unkempt hair and bangs covering her eyes…_

**???: **This place has an unnatural aura. I can feel a disturbance in the air.

_ Sasaki cocked her head._

**Sasaki: **Disturbance…?

_ The girl nodded._

**???: **The place is cold, yet the air is still.

**???: **There are no running air vents anywhere, and the weather outside is hot. Does that not strike you as odd?

_ She hadn’t given much thought to that. In fact, she’d assumed there was an air conditioner running, given how cold it was._

**Sasaki: **Well, I guess it does seem weird… Not to mention, this thing I touched was really dusty! Like, super dusty! Unnaturally dusty!

_ She stepped forth, stretching a hand out to touch the podium’s surface._

**???: **Strange. These rooms should be cleaned, right? At least recently enough to not collect this much dust yet…

_ This didn’t sound good. But dust can collect very quickly, she knew._

**Sasaki: **Maybe the air here is dirty… You said there’s no AC, right?

**???:** Correct, as I could not hear it. That is indeed a possibility, but…

_ She snatched something from the side of the podium, dangling it from her fingertips in front of Sasaki._

**???: **Cobwebs. Thick, untouched.

_ Ew...!_

**Sasaki: **Well, I’m no buggie-expert…

**???: **This many cobwebs will not simply form in a month or two. Something… Something isn’t right about this. This place… it seems abandoned.

_ What?_

**Sasaki: **Abandoned? That can’t be right…! Yeah, if it were abandoned, why would the bus driver take us here?

**???: **Maybe he was as unaware as we were. After all… the location of Kinboshi is a mystery to outsiders.

_ The dread began to settle in._

**Sasaki: **So… we’re in an abandoned campus? Then… what are we supposed to do? This is Kinboshi University, isn’t it?

**???: **It said so on the gates, and it said so on the sides of the buildings.

**???:** It would be strange to say that we’re in an exact replica of Kinboshi, but… is there any other explanation?

_ Sasaki felt a lurching in her stomach. This girl made lots of good points, but it was something that Sasaki would’ve rather not heard. It could still be just a big misunderstanding, though. Maybe it was an “artistic choice” from the school, like that one guy said. Yeah, that’s it! She needed to keep her chin up._

_ The girl began to move suddenly, towards one of the tables in the back. Before Sasaki could ask her what she was doing, the girl leaned down and grabbed something from the seat. Raising it up, Sasaki could now see it clearly: a yellow paper crane._

**???: **What is this doing here?

**Sasaki: **Is there dust on that too?

**???: **No, there isn’t. In fact, there’s dust _under_ it. This crane was placed very recently.

**Sasaki: **Freaky… Bring it over here! Let’s step in front of a window so we can see it better.

_ The girl nodded and followed Sasaki back into the hallway, where they met at a window with light streaming through it. Peering down at the crane with curious eyes, the girls held the delicate origami with utmost carefulness._

**???: **Maybe this is a clue…

_ With pale, thin fingers the crane was unfolded back into its base paper form. In the centre, a message was neatly printed in pencil._

**“Good afternoon, students of Kinboshi. Find fifteen more of me for an answer to your questions!”**

_ The robotic handwriting and cryptic words sent a chill down Sasaki’s spine. It was a short message, but one that created so many questions._

**???: **This is troublesome. Hopefully the others have found their own cranes.

**Sasaki: **Maybe. Should we go back to the main hall?

_ The girl nodded. That was all the confirmation they needed to start hurrying back, thoughts rushing through their minds like a river. In the midst of it all, Sasaki had another thing on her mind._

**Sasaki: **By the way, you never told me your name…

**???: **Oh…

_ She hesitated before answering._

**???: **It’s Mawari. Mawari Itoyo.

_ Mawari Itoyo… A name she’d have to remember._

**Sasaki: **Alright, Mawari-san! My name is Sasaki Amako.

**Mawari: **Ah… It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sasaki-san.

**Sasaki: **The pleasure is all mine!

_ Sasaki smiled at her, but Mawari didn’t smile back._

* * *

_ When they got back to the main hall, a tall, muscular man held up a crumpled up piece of origami paper of his own. The girl they saw from before with the round glasses stared at him curiously, though at a distance._

**Tall guy: **I don’t know what kind of fucking game these guys are playing, but I’m sick of it! I came here to relax, not chase around a bunch o’ fuckin’ pieces of paper!

**Glasses girl: **I don’t think we have much of a choice, sir…

**Tall guy: **Like hell we don’t! Let’s just fucking ditch this place.

**Glasses girl: **Uh… In… In that case, maybe I should hold on to the paper… You’re, um… sort of crushing it…

**Tall guy: **Huh?

_ The man looked down at his hand, which held the poor butchered origami with an iron grip._

**Tall guy: **…Shit. It probably doesn’t matter, anyways. Here, you can have it.

_He handed the paper to the girl with the glasses. It was a bright orange, unlike the gentle yellow that Mawari found. She took it in her hands, uncrumpling it and smoothing it out gently._

**Glasses girl:** So… are you really going to leave?

**Tall guy: **This is a pretty limited opportunity, so… I dunno. I think I’m just gonna find the dorms and sleep this shit off. Good luck with finding the rest.

**Glasses girl: **Have a nice sleep… We’ll inform you if we acquire more information.

_ The man nodded and left out the front door to the outside. The girl in the glasses turned to look at Mawari and Sasaki, gasping as she saw the paper cupped in the former’s hands._

**Glasses girl: **You found one too!

**Mawari: **Indeed. It was sitting alone on a chair.

**Glasses girl: **That’s great news! This one was apparently inside a drawer in the left-wing hallway.

**Glasses girl: **What do you suppose these are for? I mean… Why would Kinboshi, um… set us on some… strange origami egg-hunt?

**Mawari: **I am not sure. And furthermore…

**Mawari: **Sasaki-san and I have discovered something much more troubling.

**Glasses girl: **Eh…?

**Mawari: **We checked on a room, and it was covered in dust and cobwebs. It was like no one has touched it in years…

_ Mawari’s vague, slow explanation was hounding Sasaki with anxiety._

**Sasaki: **In other words, this place is abandoned!

_ The girl tensed, shocked to hear this._

**Glasses girl: **Huh?! Wait… but that can’t be right!

**Mawari: **I’m afraid it is. Don’t you see… This place is old and worn. No one has touched it in years.

**Mawari: **We are not at Kinboshi.

_ The other girl looked around, as if expecting to find something to prove Mawari wrong._

**Glasses girl: **Uh… Wait… This is Kinboshi University. Why else would we be here?

_ She pointed at the words engraved on a plate in the wall._

**Glasses girl: **It says it right there!

**Sasaki: **Yeah… That’s the part that doesn’t make sense…

**Mawari: **Sense is not a common theme here. And no matter which way we pull the strings, it stands to reason that we are alone.

**Mawari: **Let’s focus on what we _do _know. These origami notes are the only clues we have as to what’s going on.

**Sasaki: **Right. So I say we all work together and find them!

**Mawari: **That is the only viable option.

**Glasses girl: **Geez… This is a lot to take in… but you have a fair point. I’ll go… I’ll inform the others to look for the origami. In the meantime, hang onto this!

_ She gave Sasaki the orange paper. It said the exact same thing that the yellow paper did. When she flipped it over, the other side was blank._

_Sasaki thanked her and watched her rush back into the hallway. She turned to face Mawari._

**Sasaki: **Well… Let’s go find some more!

**Mawari: **Let’s. I’ll return to the right-wing hallway, and you can go check the other buildings.

**Sasaki: **Huh? You… don’t wanna go together?

**Mawari: **We’ll cover more ground by splitting up. Good luck, Sasaki-san.

_ She bowed deeply, then turned and walked away without another word. Sasaki blinked. It’s rather strange wanting to be alone at a time like this. _ _But nevertheless, she would have to carry on. She faced the door and took a deep breath, glancing back at all the abandoned suitcases and bags that the others had left in here. Soon, they would know what’s happening… And then, maybe things will become normal again._

_ She went through the door, meeting the outside without the same fondness from the first time. _ _Four buildings. Arranged in a way that obscured one from Sasaki’s point of view, but she roughly knew the layout already. Four entire buildings to go through and explore… Where could these origami notes be hiding? _

_ She thought back to the other guy who mentioned he was going to find the dorms. That wouldn’t be too bad an idea, but... it’d persuade her to rest. And rest was something she swore she wouldn’t do._

_ So, how about that building on the right? She didn’t know what was in there. It was just as big as the middle building, maybe even bigger. Yeah, that was a good place to start! Sasaki put on a determined smile and walked along the pathway, scanning the rightmost building’s stony walls in order to find the entrance._

_ Bingo!_

_ She stepped inside, feeling a strange new sensation. This main lobby was darkened like in the previous building, but Sasaki swore she could see light coming from underneath a door to her right. Did someone beat her to the punch?_

_ She started twisting the knob and pulling it open to see a furnished room of entertainment and activity. Television, stereos, and even an arcade machine were sitting unused here, all centred around a coffee table and a few dusty sofas. Speaking of the sofas, someone was already sitting on one._

_ The red-haired man from before! He held two sheets of origami paper in his hand, a tight lipped smile on his face as he looked up at the girl who entered._

**Sasaki: **The origami!

**Red-haired man: **I don’t suppose you’re looking for these sad little creatures as well?

**Sasaki: **Well, me and my friends are looking for these! We’ve already found two, so that leaves only twelve more!

**Red-haired man: **Oh, I am aware of the significance.

**Red-haired man: **You come in search for these, while they seem to flock to me like a moth to a lamp.

_ … What the hell was this guy talking about?_

**Red-haired man: **Ah, but where are my manners? My name is Hikuchi Jidai, and I’m the Ultimate…

**Hikuchi: **...Analyst, shall I say.

**Hikuchi: **As common courtesy would suggest, it’s your turn now, dear.

_ Whatever his deal was, the condescending tone he spoke to her in was getting on her nerves. She balled her fists and held her head higher._

**Sasaki: **Not that it’s any of your concern, but I’m Sasaki Amako. _I’m_ the Ultimate Crossing Guard.

_ A short pause filled the room, followed by mocking laughter._

**Hikuchi: **Crossing guard? Ah, my condolences. I was under the impression that you could be of use to me, but maybe your attire should've tipped me off.

_ “Of use?” Heat rose in her face as she tensed angrily._

**Sasaki: **You listen here, sir… I dunno what kind of games you’re playing here, but this is serious! It’d be in everyone’s best interests if you cooperated with me, alright?

_ He chuckled playfully, but her frown stayed solid._

**Hikuchi: **You’ve got no sense of humour. Fine, fine, do as you please. Take these with you, as you clearly know _exactly_ what to do with them.

**Hikuchi: **And I, a humble nobody, will sit here and do as you command. Is that what you wish?

_ He held out the papers towards her with a teasing smirk. She snatched them away quickly, speaking through gritted teeth._

**Sasaki: **Yeah, that’s exactly what I want. Thank you for your help, but I’m not as dumb as you take me for.

_ She turned on her heel and began to march away. That ought to put him in his place! She didn’t look back before slamming the door behind her, flinching as it seemed to shake the entire building and echoed through the darkened scape._

_ To calm herself down, Sasaki looked down at her three little papers, which made her cheer up a bit. Hers, plus the one Mawari found… that was four of them already!_

_ Now that she’d discovered that lounge room, it was ample time to check out the room that sat right beside it._

_ The dusty old library wasn’t as exciting as she’d hoped. So many books scattered around carelessly while the ones on shelves had names engraved in them that were fading away from years of unuse and stillness. Not to mention, it was dark as all hell in here, but that was nothing new. For most people, this would be bad luck. However, a good crossing guard always keeps a spare flashlight with her! Pulling the tiny thing from her pocket, she turned it on with a small click and illuminated a path for herself._

_ Sasaki could see the dust floating in the air, ready to land on whatever it touched. It caked the air, though there was no draft in here to speak of, and no windows around. She drew the flashlight around the room for a moment before spotting something in the corner of her eye. A speckle of red stood out against the sleek brown walls and carpeted black floors. Crouching, she retrieved the item from underneath a small table…_

_ A red cat! Rushing out of the room, she held it up to examine it in the moonlit lobby. And when she unfolded it… yup, that sure was the same message from the other papers. That made five! This was making her pretty confident._

_ There were two more doors on the other side of the lobby, but when she approached them, she found them to be locked. What a pain. She huffed, crossing her arms and stepping back to scan the lobby. The only place she hadn’t ventured is the restrooms, which were indicated by faded signs above the doors. Of course she wouldn’t go into the men’s room, as all dignity is lost in there, but the women’s room was fair game. Not that she cared for public restrooms, but… sometimes you just have to do things. She stepped inside, holding her flashlight up to light her way through._

**SLAM!**

_ Sasaki grunted as she fell back onto the tiled floor, the flashlight hitting the ground with a loud clunk and rolling away. She scrambled up to her feet, clutching her chest and darting her eyes forth to identify whatever she’d just run into._

**???: **Aaaah! Are you alright? I didn’t hurt you, did I?!

_ Squinting, she could see the form of a young lady wearing a frilly dress and thick, braided hair._

**Frilly dress lady: **I’m really sorry! I’m super duper sorry!

**Sasaki: **Uhm… It’s okay. What were you running from, anyways, if you don’t mind me asking…?

**Frilly dress lady: **I saw a huge shadow on the wall when you shined your flashlight in there! It scared me…

**Sasaki: **Shadow? Like… a shadow of a person?

**Frilly dress lady: **No! Not a person, a monster! It had to be a monster! It had huge horns, and it looked ready to pounce on me!

**Sasaki: **Really? In the restroom?

**Frilly dress lady: **Well, I couldn’t get a good look at it… but it scared me so bad to see something so suddenly in the darkness!

_ As silly as it sounded, this lady was seriously upset and afraid… Sasaki would have to reassure her and check out the alleged “monster” herself._

**Sasaki: **I got it! Don’t worry, ma’am, help is on the way!

**Frilly dress lady: **Are you sure you can go in there alone?

_ Sasaki grabbed her flashlight from off the ground, pointing it inside the restroom again._

**Sasaki: **As an everyday guardian-of-the-innocent, a monster is no match for me!

_ One… two… three!_

_ Sasaki dashed inside, spotting the wicked shadow on the wall. Only, it looked less like a monster to her and more like an origami rabbit. Sasaki looked over at the sinks, where a tiny pink rabbit sat on the countertop. It appeared that the light from her flashlight was reflecting off the mirrors and casting a shadow on the other side…_

**Sasaki: **Um… The monster is vanquished!

_ She stepped over to the rabbit, picking it up and unfolding it. Another origami note. Quiet footsteps came from behind._

**Frilly dress lady: **You did it?! Oh, thank you! How can I repay you?

**Sasaki: **I don’t really think you need to… ‘cause…

_ She held up the paper._

**Sasaki: **It was just an origami rabbit.

**Frilly dress lady: **A… rabbit…?

_ Sasaki nodded._

**Frilly dress lady: **Oh… I’m just a little jumpy today…

**Sasaki: **Hey, you have reason to be… No one knows what’s really going on here.

**Frilly dress lady: **I’m not the only one? Thank goodness…! Well, maybe that’s not a good thing…

**Sasaki: **We’re on our way to figuring things out with these origami notes. It says to collect sixteen of them, and so far we have six.

**Frilly dress lady: **Oh! Origami, you say?

_ She pulled out a green origami flower from one of her apron pockets._

**Frilly dress lady: **I found this in the boy’s bathroom~!

_ Another one? That made seven…!_

**Sasaki: **Wait, uh… What were you doing in the boy’s bathroom?

**Frilly dress lady: **I couldn’t see the signs! Oh, it was dreadful to realize! I was so ashamed!

**Sasaki: **It _is _dark in here…

_ This girl was a little flighty, wasn’t she?_

**Frilly dress lady: **Please don’t tell anyone! Oh, please!

**Sasaki: **Hey, no need to be upset… I won’t tell anyone.

**Frilly dress lady: **Thank you, miss! I’ll make sure to be careful next time!

**Sasaki: **Yeah, good luck with that…

**Sasaki: **Anyways, now that we’ve gathered all the origami notes here, I think we should head back to the main building.

**Frilly dress lady: **Ah, alright! That’s a brilliant idea!

**Sasaki: **Gee, uh… thanks! Anyways, my name is Sasaki Amako.

**Frilly dress lady: **Yanadori Aya… I’m a baker!

_ Sasaki’s eyes lit up at that._

**Sasaki: **A baker? You make like, sweets?

**Yanadori: **Mhm. Cakes, pies, muffins, soufflés… You name it, I can bake it!

**Sasaki: **That’s amazing! I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested to know what a professionally-made cake would taste like…

**Yanadori: **As a token of my appreciation, I promise you that I’ll make you a special cake!

_ People say you shouldn’t take cake from strangers, but Sasaki couldn’t really help herself. After all this investigation and thinking, she could really go for some cake…_

**Sasaki: **Sounds like a plan, Yanadori-san!

_ Sasaki stuck her flashlight and the origami papers back in her pocket, turning to face the door._

**Sasaki: **Now, let’s go meet with the others! I’m dying to know what’s the deal behind all of this!

_ With that, Yanadori and Sasaki darted outside the building and down the concrete sidewalk, eyes trained ahead as they raced back to the main hall._

* * *

_ Fourteen people stood quietly in the main hall, hovering above the sixteen origami notes arranged on the ground. Out of all the people here, there was no sign of that Hikuchi guy, which Sasaki was both thankful for and worried about. Nonetheless, the crowd of students would have to come together and solve this mystery._

**Sasaki: **Have we got them all?

**Mawari: **I counted three times. We have sixteen papers here, each a slightly different colour.

**Sasaki: **Sixteen notes folded into different animals with the same message written on them… Well, we have them. What are we supposed to do with these?

**Glasses girl: **We should go over all of these differences. Even the colours may be significant...

**GIGA: **Okay, so they’re all different colours. What does that mean, genius?

**Yanadori: **It might… be like a rainbow?

**GIGA: **Uh, isn’t that kind of stupid? We’re in university, not first grade.

**Mawari: **Peculiar is that if it were a rainbow, you have to notice that of all the colours, blue is missing.

**GIGA: **See, I’m right! You can’t have a rainbow without blue! That’s fucked up!

**Tall guy: **Yeah, do you honestly think the colour of the paper matters? The shrimpy girl is right.

**GIGA: **I know I’m right, but call me “shrimpy” again and I’ll kick your ugly ass.

_ A young man with curly brown hair spoke up, eager to diffuse the growing conflict between these two._

**Curly hair guy: **Uh, actually… I think she might be onto something here.

_ A rough looking girl in a beanie quickly cut him off._

**Beanie girl: **Put a lid on it, Chiba. That makes no fuckin’ sense.

**Chiba: **Well, I… I’m just saying… that maybe it isn’t… it’s not a bad idea, y’know? Something to keep in mind…

**Glasses girl: **Thank you! I’m kinda tired of being shot down by these guys…

**GIGA: **The only shit I’m shooting at is shit that doesn’t make sense, girl. Tell me, the fuck does rainbows have to do with any of this?

**Glasses girl: **I didn’t say anything about a rainbow!

_ Everyone was getting a little too riled up over the colours. Sasaki groaned and stomped her foot._

**Sasaki: **Hey, seriously! I know we just met and all, but... Nothing will ever be solved if we don’t work together!

**Tall guy: **I can’t work with these people. They’re insufferable. Especially that short one with the attitude.

**GIGA: **I’ll show you attitude.

**Sasaki: **Then how about you work with me. You saw that little red monkey in your dorm room… Was there anything weird about it?

**Tall guy: **No. It’s just another piece of shitty paper.

**Sasaki: **Nothing? Well, that makes sense. It wasn’t the only one found in a dorm room...

_ The mountainous heavy metal looking guy from the bus raised his hand from the back._

**KISS guy: **Wait, is location important? ‘Cause I can tell ya that we found one outside!

**Beanie girl: **On the basketball court, yeah. So what?

**KISS guy: **I’ll tell you what: it’s an outlier! And you know what they say about outliers…

**GIGA: **Yeah, something tells me you know a lot about those.

**Glasses girl: **This is… a good point though. Has anyone else found one outside yet?

**Sasaki: **Not me…

**Mawari: **No.

**Glasses girl: **So you’re right, it’s an outlier. But… what does that tell us, exactly?

**KISS guy: **Hell if I know. I’m just offering suggestions!

**Beanie girl: **Maybe it’s insignificant. Or a red herring.

**???: **Red herring? You’re rather dismissive without looking beyond the surface.

_ A man lingering behind the group cleared his throat to summon their attention. He had pale skin, an angular face covered in dark makeup, and odd round glasses. He looked like something straight from a Tim Burton film._

**Pale man: **What it tells us, or what it doesn’t tell us? Look closely at the one you found outside.

**Sasaki: **Eh?

_She knelt down and picked up the tiny pink turtle that was delicately folded. The paper was still a little warm._

**Pale man: **A crane, bear, swan, cat, rabbit, pig, squirrel, elephant, lion, fox, mouse, chicken, whale, dog, monkey… and a turtle.

**Pale man: **And not just any turtle; a sea turtle. Does that strike you as odd?

_ All eyes turned to him. His heavy gaze glanced back at each of them, scanning their expressions for nonverbal responses to his question. All he got was knitted brows, pensive faces, and a tense silence._

**Yanadori: **Oh-oh, I have something! The animals are all birds and mammals!

**Chiba: **And how did you come to that conclusion?

**Yanadori: **Well, I noticed there were no fishes… And then I noticed there were no frogs or lizards! I was thankful for that much, though, because I don’t like reptiles…

**Beanie girl: **Well, gee fucking whiz. Birds and mammals. You gonna explain what that has to do with anything?

_ The pale man chuckled softly, placing a hand to his chin._

**Pale man: **It was merely an observation. And as our sea turtle is a reptile, it continues to be the biggest outlier.

**GIGA: **No offense, but riddles are boring as hell to me. Probably gonna sit the rest of this out, y’know.

**Sasaki: **A riddle… When you say it like that, it kinda makes sense.

**Sasaki: **What sorts of things does a sea turtle not have in common with the rest?

**Glasses girl: **They’re reptiles, have hard protective shells, are cold-blooded…

**Yanadori: **...Cold-blooded?

**Glasses girl: **Their bodies cannot regulate their internal temperature like ours can. In other words, cold-blooded animals rely on the sun’s heat.

**Sasaki: **Heat from the sun…

_ She looked down at the tiny turtle in her hand._

**Sasaki: **...And this paper was found outside. It was hotter than the rest.

**Sasaki: **Do you think heat could have something to do with it?

**GIGA: **Whoa, seriously?

_ Murmurs broke out amongst them._

**Tall guy: **Uh, what exactly do you have in mind? We gonna set them on fire?

**Chiba: **Actually… That might be on the right track...

**Glasses girl: **Oh, yeah! It’s a gamble, but if we apply heat, there may be a chemical reaction in the paper!

**GIGA: **This is some wild hunch you're going off on… Y’all got any idea on how to heat up this paper without setting it on fire?

**Sasaki: **My flashlight!

_ Sasaki reached into her pocket and pulled out the small device, raising it over her head while her smile beamed._

**Sasaki: **It’s small, and really really powerful!

_ More murmurs broke out amongst the group, particularly from the ones that didn’t really know what they were talking about._

**Glasses girl:** That’s incredible! It’s just what we need! If my suspicions are correct, that is…

**Chiba: **Er… what's your idea, if you don’t mind…

**Glasses girl: **This is a perfect _invisible ink _scenario!

**Pale man: **Cobalt II Chloride? I’m listening...

**Glasses girl: **Bingo! An ink that goes on pink, but then changes to a blue color when heated! It’s pretty efficient, actually.

**Chiba: **That must be why… the papers aren’t blue. Because blue ink wouldn’t show up on… on blue paper…

**GIGA: **Thanks for the tip, but I think that part was made obvious.

**Sasaki: **So, what are we waiting for? Let’s heat up this paper!

**Glasses girl: **It’s a delicate process, so for good measure, I’m gonna need everyone but these two to step back…

_ Everyone reluctantly did as told, but their eyes were still glued to the paper and Sasaki’s flashlight. Sasaki and Chiba being the remaining two, they looked back at the girl waiting for their orders._

**Glasses girl: **Tell me your names so that this can be a little easier…

**Sasaki: **Sasaki Amako, Ultimate Crossing Guard!

**Chiba: **Chiba Masuzō… I’m the Ultimate Mathematician…

**Glasses girl: **No wonder you’re so good at this! My name is Hatori Iwa, and I’m the Ultimate Geologist.

_ Sasaki held in a giggle at her name._

**Sasaki: **Iwa… Like…

_ She trailed off as she saw the geologist’s unamused face staring harshly back. Sasaki bit her tongue and trailed her eyes away._

**Sasaki: **Sorry, you probably get that a lot.

_ She didn’t reply, which made Sasaki feel even worse._

**Chiba: **So, uh… What are we supposed to do, Hatori-san?

**Hatori: **I need you to hold the paper, gently and not obscuring the surface area… Blank side upward.

_ Sasaki handed the paper to Chiba, who grabbed it by the diagonal corners and held it in front of him._

**Chiba: **Like this…?

**Hatori: **Yeah, there we go! Now, Sasaki, turn on that flashlight and bring it under the paper. Make sure you don’t get too close…

_ Sasaki did as told, looking up at Hatori for approval. She didn’t respond, instead squinting in order to make out the slowly forming blue words on the paper…_

_ Sasaki glanced down at the paper. They were like little brush strokes, expertly written to be legible._

_**“Congratulations.** _ _ **Meet me at the auditorium.”** _

_ Hatori read it aloud to everyone in the room, causing the crowd to erupt into conversation._

**GIGA: **Damn, it worked! I think I underestimated you, Rocky.

**KISS guy: **It’s a total miracle we got someone like you here! We woulda been fucked up!

_ Hatori didn’t seem satisfied._

**Hatori: **So… The auditorium. Is _that_ where we get our answers?

**Mawari: **I get the feeling it will only raise more troubling questions. Shall I retrieve the others before we head there?

**Sasaki: **Yeah, don’t let anyone miss out on this. It’s important.

**Mawari: **Alright.

_ Mawari hurried out of the building, leaving Sasaki and Hatori in charge of the crowd._

**Sasaki: **Alright, everyone! Don’t move just yet, we’re all sticking together!

_ Before she could say anymore, the door behind her opened. She turned around to see the slim figure of Hikuchi Jidai standing in the doorway, grin stretched across his face._

_ Questions rose up in Sasaki’s throat, about where he’d been and what he was doing back here. But they were all cut short as she noticed a strange black device in his hand._

**Hikuchi: **Am I interrupting something? Ah, the papers... I’m sure you all will enjoy the show, as I certainly have~!

**Author's Note:**

> proofread by teru! ^_^
> 
> discord link here!  
https://discord.gg/TEDchmH


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